By Anthony Hennen | The Center Square (The Center Square) – A dozen school districts in Pennsylvania exploited a legal loophole to raise millions of dollars in new taxes on the public without putting it to a referendum. In the process, they’ve hidden hundreds of millions of dollars in reserve funds that could cover school …
By Anthony Hennen | The Center Square (The Center Square) – Pennsylvania’s gas tax is a major funding source for the upkeep and repair of roads and bridges across the state. It’s also one of the highest gas taxes across the nation. An automatic increase of the tax, set to kick in 2023, is now causing …
By Anthony Hennen | The Center Square 12 hrs ago (The Center Square) – Pennsylvania’s general fund revenues have stayed healthy, and may outpace 2021 by 4%. However, inflationary pressures that have driven up the costs of goods and services paid for by the state, put a damper on extra revenues. An analysis from the Allegheny Institute highlighted the …
By Anthony Hennen | The Center Square Dec 20, 2022 (The Center Square) – Pennsylvania’s number of open jobs remains high while its number of workers in the labor force continues to shrink. The trend, which has been ongoing for years, became worse when the pandemic hit in March 2020. The commonwealth has struggled to recover to …
By Anthony Hennen | The Center Square Pennsylvania’s recent shift of deer season’s start date wasn’t universally loved, but the deer harvest has continued to grow since 2015. Ysbrand Cosijn / Shutterstock.com The Pennsylvania Game Commission upset a number of hunters in 2019 when it voted to move the start of deer season to the Saturday …
As Pennsylvania counties submit certified election results to the Department of State, state officials are conducting audits to ensure no mistakes occurred. Counties were to submit their certified results on Monday, and the department will conduct risk-limiting audits to check counties for any errors. Lawsuits and a split county board could slow down certification, however. …
By Tom Gantert | The Center Square (The Center Square) – There has been $6 billion in unemployment fraud in 2020 and 2021 in Pennsylvania from which about $1.1 billion of that money has been recouped by the Pennsylvania Treasury Department. The fraud is spread among the traditional unemployment program and the temporary federal aid that …
By Anthony Hennen | The Center Square (The Center Square) – Recent federal legislation has expanded health care benefits for veterans, but suicide and homelessness still remain issues of concern in Pennsylvania. The Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics Act, as The Center Square previously reported, expands and extends eligibility for health care through Veterans Affairs health centers. …
(The Center Square) – The federal largesse that will fund broadband expansion in Pennsylvania has two major political concerns: the potential economic growth due to business and education using broadband more, and the threat of a missed opportunity from wasting federal funds. What’s key is connecting the unserved parts of Pennsylvania with the rest of …
By Joe Mueller | The Center Square (The Center Square) – If you tip your server in Pennsylvania on Friday, she or he might get to keep more of it and the cumulative amount might affect hourly wages. A new law taking effect increases the amount of money an employee will receive when they get a …
By Bruce Walker | The Center Square (The Center Square) – Allergan has agreed in principle to a proposed $2.37 billion settlement to participating states and local governments, including Iowa. Iowa Attorney General Tom Miller and a bipartisan group of attorneys general announced the settlement Friday. The news comes the same week as a $4.25 billion …
By Anthony Hennen | The Center Square (The Center Square) – Recent data from the Census Bureau shows that Pennsylvania’s median age, 40.9, is higher than the national average of 38.8. A higher median age doesn’t mean a state will struggle to grow economically or in population – Florida and New Hampshire are older yet growing – but it can …
By Joe Mueller | The Center Square (The Center Square) – The Pennsylvania Legislature is sending $1 million to college campuses for the upcoming school year to address student food insecurity at institutions of higher learning. The Hunger-Free Campus Grant Program will help colleges and universities create or expand campus food pantries and increase awareness of …
By Anthony Hennen | The Center Square (The Center Square) – Gov. Tom Wolf is term-limited and not running for reelection, and it may be for the best. Only five governors in the country are less popular. That’s according to the latest Morning Consult survey, which looked at governors’ popularity across the nation. Wolf isn’t underwater, however. …
By Elyse Apel | The Center Square (The Center Square) – Pittsburgh has a 60% decrease in arrests over the past eight years, following similar trends in many major cities across the country. From 2013 to 2021, the number of arrests made by the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police dropped from 18,541 to 7,405. The latest audited report from the city …
By Anthony Hennen | The Center Square (The Center Square) – Pennsylvania is well-known for its high gas tax and high corporate net income tax until a recent change, but residents get a break compared to other states in one area: sales tax. A new report from the Tax Foundation notes that Pennsylvania’s combined 6.34% sales tax rate …
By Anthony Hennen | The Center Square (The Center Square) – The Pennsylvania gaming industry has recovered from a pandemic dip as options for gambling have increased in recent years. Not only is it a recovery, but strong growth. Total revenues for the industry hit $3.2 billion in 2018 and are projected to crack $5 billion …
By Anthony Hennen | The Center Square (The Center Square) – Though pandemic restrictions have faded away, Pennsylvania’s economy is yet to bounce back. The commonwealth has lost 120,000 workers since 2019, according to a new report from the Independent Fiscal Office, and its 4.6% unemployment rate is higher than the national rate of 3.6%. The report, “Where Did …
By Anthony Hennen | The Center Square (The Center Square) – Health care service agencies, which supply nursing homes and others with temporary staff, could deal with more oversight and regulation if a bill continues to advance in the Pennsylvania General Assembly. Price ceilings that would have capped what staffing agencies could charge, however, were removed …
By Anthony Hennen | The Center Square (The Center Square) – A late-night Republican push for a constitutional amendment declaring no right to an abortion has caused controversy. The resolution would also change elections to require voter ID, raise the voting age to 21, and allow gubernatorial candidates to pick their running mate for lieutenant governor, …
By Anthony Hennen | The Center Square (The Center Square) – A moment of frustration for Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney has led to two city councilmen to call for his resignation. Kenney’s comments came after a shooting incident where two police officers were injured during the city’s Fourth of July celebration on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway. …
By Anthony Hennen | The Center Square (The Center Square) – As murders have risen in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh and public safety has garnered more political attention, Pennsylvania Democrats and Republicans have suggested different solutions, some big and some small. On public safety funding, however, both parties are aligned, at least for some level of increase. …
(The Center Square) – The future of abortion in Pennsylvania is an open question, as current state law protects it but both parties would like to change the law. The U.S. Supreme Court on Friday overturned Roe v. Wade, the 1973 decision that legalized abortion nationwide. The court ruled 6-3 in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s …
By Anthony Hennen | The Center Square (The Center Square) – The future of abortion in Pennsylvania is an open question, as current state law protects it but both parties would like to change the law. The U.S. Supreme Court on Friday overturned Roe v. Wade, the 1973 decision that legalized abortion nationwide. The court ruled 6-3 …
By Anthony Hennen | The Center Square (The Center Square) – Pennsylvania’s high taxes and spending, and its use of business subsidies, came under fire from tax experts and business leaders in a committee hearing on Tuesday. The Republican Policy Committee held its fourth hearing related to inflation, economic growth, and the problems facing the commonwealth; …
By Anthony Hennen | The Center Square (The Center Square) – Pennsylvania has the highest state gas tax in America, but gas taxes can’t cover its infrastructure needs in the coming years, which will require some package of policy changes. A new research brief from the state’s Independent Fiscal Office noted that the average state gas tax burden …
By Anthony Hennen | The Center Square (The Center Square) – As gas prices rose nationally for 10 days straight, the average price for a gallon of gas in Pennsylvania has surpassed $5. And rising prices aren’t relegated to just fuel, either. The Philadelphia Consumer Price Index has increased by 8.4% year-over-year, the highest rate since 1981, …
By Anthony Hennen | The Center Square (The Center Square) – While one of Pennsylvania’s higher education systems has undergone major changes, another could see a funding shift that emphasizes results over routine increases. A new bill, HB2619, would award 3% to 10% of state funding for state-related universities based on graduation and retention rates, post-graduation employment …
By The Center Square (The Center Square) – Pennsylvania Republican U.S. Senate candidate David McCormick on Friday conceded his race with Dr. Mehmet Oz, the reality TV star and heart surgeon who was endorsed by former President Donald Trump. The race was too close to call after the May 17 primary, with about 1,000 votes …
By Anthony Hennen | The Center Square (The Center Square) – The appeal of living in Pennsylvania has been tough to pitch to people in other states, but it’s also been tough for leaders to persuade current residents to stay. More than 40% of voters considered leaving for another state, or knew someone who thought or …
By Tom Gantert and Brett Rowland | The Center Square (The Center Square) – The Philadelphia public school district is relying on $1.8 billion in federal COVID-19 funding to stay out of a deficit. The district’s audited budget said the one-time COVID-19 relief money is expected to keep the district out of the red through fiscal …
By Anthony Hennen | The Center Square (The Center Square) – Recently released IRS data confirmed some bad news for Pennsylvania: Its residents keep leaving for greener pastures elsewhere, threatening the future of the state’s civic bonds and economic growth. Put bluntly, Pennsylvania’s population future is bleak. While states like Florida, Texas, Arizona and the Carolinas …
By Anthony Hennen (The Center Square) – Pennsylvania’s teacher shortage is spurring action in the General Assembly to pass reforms and simplify its certification process for educators. A proposed bill, SB224, would assist out-of-state teachers’ certification to teach in Pennsylvania. So long as a teacher completed a state-approved teaching program elsewhere, they would be eligible for …
By Anthony Hennen (The Center Square) – Job quit rates have been up since the pandemic, but Pennsylvania lags behind the national average. While that may look like stability and satisfaction with one’s job, it’s a sign of a lack of opportunity for workers in the commonwealth. An analysis by WalletHub found that Pennsylvania had one of …
By Anthony Hennen (The Center Square) – Public pensions in Pennsylvania have a transparency problem. Though the public retirement systems pay performance-based fees to investment managers, these fees aren’t reported or publicly available. Their costs, however, can be quite high. Pennsylvania’s public pensions have some of the lowest funding ratios in the country; the more …
By Anthony Hennen Pennsylvania voters are less than a month away from the primaries on May 17, and some of the top Republican candidates for governor among a crowded field will appear in a televised debate on Wednesday. As it stands from polls aggregated by Real Clear Politics, the Republican field is led by five candidates: …
By Anthony Hennen Blighted properties are a problem in every county across Pennsylvania, and a proposed bill would make permanent a new fee counties can impose to raise funds for demolition. SB439, sponsored by Sen. David Argall, R-Berks/Schuylkill, would remove a 10-year sunset provision from Act 152 of 2016 that authorizes counties to create a …
By Anthony Hennen A push from Gov. Tom Wolf could create a $200 million scholarship fund for students who attend public colleges in the state. “When it comes to pursuing a higher education, skyrocketing costs over the last decade have put that dream out of reach for too many families. Pennsylvanians are being priced out …
By Anthony Hennen Pennsylvania’s tax receipts were strong for March 2022, with the Independent Fiscal Office revising its projections up by $580 million from its August estimate. Sales taxes, personal income taxes, and corporate net income taxes drove the rise, indicating that the economy is recovering from pandemic-related slowdowns. The labor force participation rate and …
By Anthony Hennen The high number of drug overdose deaths in Pennsylvania have been rising, but state agencies provide data on them on a voluntary basis only. That might change with a new bill requiring law enforcement and emergency responders to update the state’s map of overdoses quickly. SB1152 would require adding information on drug overdoses …
By Anthony Hennen A proposed bill could mean more ballot referenda in Pennsylvania to prevent controversial tax increases, and also make it harder for localities or the General Assembly to boost tax revenues. Rep. David Rowe, R-Union/Snyder, introduced HB2432 to amend the Commonwealth’s constitution to add ballot questions during primary elections that would allow voters to override …
By Anthony Hennen Public transportation funding has been a growing concern in some cities, and a proposed bill could give some Pennsylvania counties the authority to levy local taxes to support their transit systems. Rep. Tim Hennessey, R-Chester/Montgomery, introduced HB2366 to grant Allegheny, Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery and Philadelphia counties the ability to levy taxes “for transit …
By Anthony Hennen While the pandemic has upset the norm in education, a substitute teacher shortage in Pennsylvania has sparked changes to state law and continues to delay the return of a normal school day. The shortage sometimes means pay spikes for substitutes, cutting into school district budgets. In the long run, shortages may require more …
By Anthony Hennen (The Center Square) Gas prices, rising steadily over the last year and jumping dramatically since the Russian invasion of Ukraine, may not lead to a production spike, but the state and federal gas taxes could be paused to make the price shock less painful. Gov. Tom Wolf, along with five other governors, …
By Anthony Hennen A new report from the Commonwealth Foundation argues that Pennsylvania can increase economic growth and give workers more choice and freedom in their life – if the General Assembly reforms its government union like Wisconsin did a decade ago. “Government unions have enormous political power in Pennsylvania, due to a host of special legal privileges …
By Anthony Hennen A majority of states offer an earned income tax credit, and a recent bill could add Pennsylvania to the list. The EITC is a subsidy for low-income working families, though childless workers can sometimes benefit from it as well. “In general, research shows that the EITC encourages single people and primary earners …
By Anthony Hennen College costs and student debt remain high, and the Senate Appropriations Committee’s hearing with the leaders of Pennsylvania’s state-related universities was about how the General Assembly can help schools, rather than why its leaders aren’t doing more. While leaders of Penn State, Temple, Pitt, and Lincoln universities noted more funding from the …
By Anthony Hennen Pennsylvania’s state parks and game lands boost the state’s economy, livability, and attraction for future generations, top officials from the Department of Conservation & Natural Resources said. Testifying in front of the Senate Appropriations Committee on Wednesday, Senators focused on the economic potential of state parks and developing natural gas to provide …
Writen by Anthony Hennen The Pennsylvania General Assembly is preparing to divest the Commonwealth’s connections to the Russian economy in response to the country’s invasion of Ukraine. “I will work with my colleagues in the state government to stop supporting anything that helps Russia,” Sen. Sharif Street, D-Philadelphia, said at a protest outside Philadelphia City …
By Anthony Hennen | The Center Square (The Center Square) — The Pennsylvania Department of Corrections continues to deal with worker shortages as the effects of COVID-19 have changed how prisons in the commonwealth operate. A Senate Appropriations Committee hearing on Thursday heard testimony from the heads of the Department of Corrections and Board of …
(The Center Square) – Officials with the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development discussed inflation and staffing challenges, as well as the Wolf administration’s decisions to close businesses amid the COVID-19 pandemic, during a third day of budget hearings in the House Appropriations Committee. State Rep. Lynda Culver, R-Northumberland, highlighted record inflation numbers from …
(The Center Square) – A new report is highlighting the record high demand for Pennsylvania’s school-choice programs as evidence lawmakers in Harrisburg should consider better ways of expanding access for families. The Commonwealth Foundation report looks at enrollment figures gleaned from public right-to-know requests for Pennsylvania’s Educational Improvement Tax Credit (EITC) and Opportunity Scholarship Tax …
(The Center Square) – Celebrity doctor Mehmet Oz is leading the Republican primary contest for U.S. Senate in Pennsylvania by double digits, according to a new poll. The survey of 1,070 likely Republican primary voters during the first four days of February shows 27.4% favor Oz if the election was held tomorrow. The Pennsylvania primary …
(The Center Square) – The U.S. Department of Justice is ordering the Pennsylvania court system to change how it deals with individuals prescribed medication for opioid use disorder after finding courts in multiple counties violated the American with Disabilities Act. An investigation by the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division found Courts of Common Pleas in …
(The Center Square) – Pennsylvania is set to receive $244.9 million this year through the federal infrastructure law to clean up abandoned mines across the commonwealth. The funding, announced this week by Gov. Tom Wolf, is the most by far of the 22 states and Navajo Nation that will receive a total of $725 million …
(The Center Square) – The Pennsylvania Senate Law and Justice Committee’s first hearing on legalizing recreational marijuana featured testimony from state and local officials, law enforcement officers and security officials in the commonwealth’s medical marijuana industry. Committee Chair Mike Regan, R-Dillsburg, highlighted the shift away from prosecuting minor marijuana possession crimes in recent years and …
By Victor Skinner (The Center Square) The Pennsylvania Supreme Court granted an emergency application to take over the commonwealth’s congressional redistricting process, though the Commonwealth Court judge overseeing the case will remain as a special master. The Supreme Court’s order granting emergency application for extraordinary relief lays out the process and timeline the high court …
(The Center Square) – Gov. Tom Wolf has vetoed legislation designed to protect Pennsylvania residents’ Second Amendment rights against municipalities that enact restrictive gun ordinances. “Once again, this governor has failed to live up to his oath to ‘support, obey and defend the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of this Commonwealth,” said …
(The Center Square) – Pennsylvania’s Independent Fiscal Office (IFO) released an updated economic forecast for fiscal year 2021-22 that shows higher than anticipated revenue, driven by stronger wages and inflation. The IFO’s mid-year update for fiscal year 2021-22 showed general fund revenues were adjusted upward from nearly $42 billion to $45.3 billion, accounting for a …
(The Center Square) – As President Joe Biden highlights billions of dollars in federal funding to improve roads and bridges, an early Friday morning bridge collapse near Pittsburgh is highlighting the commonwealth’s infrastructure needs. Ahead of Biden’s visit to Pittsburgh on Friday, U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg stood alongside Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf and …
(The Center Square) – A Pennsylvania lawmaker wants to allow counties to enact a 1% sales tax that local municipalities can use to shore up pension obligations, maintain core services or put to other uses. State Rep. Michael Sturla, D-Lancaster, spelled out the proposal in a legislative memorandum. “The impetus is local municipalities across the …
(The Center Square) – A Pennsylvania state senator is proposing a new school-choice program for students who live in the commonwealth’s poorest-performing public school districts. Sen. Judy Ward, R-Hollidaysburg, penned a memorandum to her colleague, soliciting co-sponsors for legislation to create new Lifeline Scholarships for students struggling in the commonwealth’s lowest-achieving school districts. “Under this …
By Victor Skinner | The Center Square contributor (The Center Square) – The Pennsylvania Senate Education Committee advanced legislation Wednesday to automatically expand school-choice programs during times of high demand. Sen. Mike Regan, R-Dillsburg, pointed to his experiences with troubled youth during his law enforcement career and the attitude of disregard for education in some …
By Victor Skinner | The Center Square contributor A Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court has denied a request by legislative Democrats and Attorney General Josh Shapiro to block the release of voters’ information to the Senate Intergovernmental Operations Committee investigating the 2020 general election and 2021 primary. The Senate committee subpoenaed the Pennsylvania Department of State in …
By Victor Skinner | The Center Square contributor (The Center Square) – Adams County State Sen. Doug Mastriano introduced Senate Bill 996 this week to explicitly define parental rights as fundamental rights, a move designed to protect decisions on education, health care, mental health and other issues. “The liberty of a parent to direct the …
By Victor Skinner (The Center Square) The Federal Emergency Management Agency is deploying dozens of military medical personnel to two Pennsylvania hospitals next week after a request for help to fight the current COVID-19 surge. Gov. Tom Wolf’s administration requested assistance from FEMA on Dec. 15 to support hospital staff and alleviate pressure from a …
By Victor Skinner (The Center Square) Pennsylvania’s highway system is among the worst in the nation, ranking 39th out of 50 states in the Reason Foundation’s Annual Highway Report. The annual report examines the cost-effectiveness and condition of each state’s highway system using 13 categories: total disbursements per mile, capital and bridge disbursements per mile, …
By Victor Skinner (The Center Square) Gov. Tom Wolf signed nine bills into law this week, including legislation to reduce prescription drug costs for the elderly, expand broadband infrastructure, and allow virtual public meetings and instruction. Wolf signed House bills 291, 1255, 1260, 1837, and 2071, as well as Senate bills 208, 772, 729 and …
By Victor Skinner, The Center Square House Bill 412, sponsored by Rep. Barb Gleim, R-Cumberland, is designed to help alleviate the statewide shortage of substitute teachers by giving schools flexibility to fill positions with retired, inactive or student teachers. “The declining number of teacher certificates issued in Pennsylvania, plus the strain of bringing back students …
(By Victor Skinner – The Center Square) – Pennsylvania state Rep. Russ Diamond says it’s time to “stop the madness of changing clocks twice a year” and permanently place the Keystone State on Eastern Standard Time. Lawmakers in the General Assembly’s State Government Committee discussed his plan to ditch Daylight Savings Time in a hearing …
(By Christen Smith – The Center Square) – Republican Pennsylvania senators approved two gun bills this week that Gov. Tom Wolf already has promised to veto. Senate Bill 448 adds to an existing preemption statute by prohibiting municipalities, of which more than 2,500 exist in Pennsylvania, from enacting firearm ordinances that contradict state law. Senate …
(By Christen Smith – The Center Square) – Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf said Monday schools can set their own mask policies starting Jan. 17, when the current statewide order expires. The policy shift comes weeks after the state reached its 70% statewide vaccination target, Wolf said, and only days after COVID-19 vaccinations became available for …
(By Christen Smith – The Center Square) – Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf signed an executive order establishing a permanent Office of Environmental Justice as yet another piece of his administration’s climate strategy. “We must do the hard work to prevent further climate damage, to mitigate environmental pollution and the unfair harm it causes to vulnerable communities, …
(By Christen Smith – The Center Square) – The Pennsylvania Senate has approved a concurrent resolution that rejects the state’s entry into a program that caps carbon emissions from power generators. Three Democrats joined all of the chamber’s Republicans in adopting the measure Wednesday as a rebuke of the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) – …
(By Christen Smith – The Center Square) – Pennsylvania’s election audit remains on hold this week as Senate Republicans defend their subpoena for voter records that Democrats contested in Commonwealth Court as unconstitutional. “Our filing on Friday is scheduled as part of an expedited review petition to the court that is designed to resolve the …
(By Christen Smith – The Center Square) – The Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education will ask the Legislature for $550 million in funding next year as it continues its massive redesign amid dwindling enrollment. PASSHE Board of Governors Chairwoman Cynthia Shapira said Thursday the request is vital the organization’s “future and mission.” “It reflects …
(By Christen Smith – The Center Square) – The Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education will ask the Legislature for $550 million in funding next year as it continues its massive redesign amid dwindling enrollment. PASSHE Board of Governors Chairwoman Cynthia Shapira said Thursday the request is vital the organization’s “future and mission.” “It reflects …
(By Christen Smith – The Center Square) – Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro will formally announce his candidacy for governor on Wednesday, according to a report from The Associated Press. It’s news that’s been months in the making after Shapiro, a former congressional staffer, state representative and Montgomery County commissioner turned two-term attorney general, said …
(By Christen Smith – The Center Square) – A Pennsylvania liquor store clerk sued his former union in federal court this week for nearly two years of dues he alleges were collected from his paycheck unconstitutionally. Allen Knabb resigned from United Food and Commercial Workers Union Local 1776 Keystone State (UFCW) in January 2020, but says …
(By Christen Smith – The Center Square) – House lawmakers passed a measure Tuesday that expands the size and scope of tuition vouchers for Pennsylvania’s economically disadvantaged schools. Three Democrats joined all of the chamber’s Republicans in approving House Bill 1642, which lowers the threshold for schools to qualify as economically disadvantaged under the law. …
(By Christen Smith – The Center Square) – The Pennsylvania General Assembly passed a six-month extension for hundreds of regulatory waivers while lawmakers consider a more permanent fix. House Bill 1861, which addresses up to 500 suspended regulations, heads to Gov. Tom Wolf’s desk after both chambers unanimously approved the measure Wednesday. Prime sponsor Rep. …
(By Christen Smith – The Center Square) – State officials took an unusual step Thursday and reached out to more 375,000 commercially licensed drivers in hopes of covering a growing school bus driver shortage. Kurt Myers, deputy secretary for the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT), told reporters the pool of qualified bus drivers has shrunk …
(Christen Smith – The Center Square) – Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf said this week he’s seeking a federal disaster declaration in the wake of widespread storm damage caused by the remnants of Hurricane Ida that blew through the Northeast last week. “This storm brought historic rainfall and flooding, as well as rare tornadoes, devastating many …
(By Christen Smith – The Center Square) – Less than a week after the Department of Health ordered universal masking in Pennsylvania schools, Gov. Tom Wolf’s administration faces its first legal challenge on what many critics consider a shameful last-minute policy reversal. Senate President Pro Tempore Jake Corman, R-Bellefonte, leads a group of parents and …
(By Christen Smith – The Center Square) – Two Pennsylvania senators introduced a bill last week offering parents a chance to opt out of public school mask mandates. Senate Bill 846 came just days before the Department of Health ordered universal masking for staff and students in schools and child care centers amid what the …
(By Christen Smith – The Center Square) – A second election reform bill appears likely in Pennsylvania this year. The chairs of the State Government Committee began circulating a cosponsorship memo earlier this month for their joint plan, which allows for a three day pre-canvassing rule, continuous video surveillance of ballot drop boxes, tightened application deadlines …
(By Kristen Smith – The Center Square) – Most of Pennsylvania’s 67 counties saw population declines over the past decade, with a few exceptions near Harrisburg, Philadelphia and Pittsburgh. The news comes from the latest U.S. Census data released Thursday, which reported Pennsylvania’s total residents exceeded 13 million in 2020, leaping over Illinois to become the fifth …
(By Christen Smith | The Center Square) – In an effort to boost the statewide COVID-19 vaccination rate, the Pennsylvania Department of Health said residents who missed their second dose will soon receive text message reminders to complete the immunization series. Acting Secretary of Health Alison Beam said last week federal data shows that about 65% of …
(By Christen Smith | The Center Square) – As the COVID-19 delta variant spikes cases nationwide, one Pennsylvania hospitality trade group signed onto the immunization effort as the state trails its 70% statewide goal. “Remember the shutdowns, the massive layoffs, and business closures? The hospitality industry is starting a slow recovery process and PA Restaurant …
(By Christen Smith | The Center Square) – Activists with Americans for Prosperity stood across the street from the Macks Trucks plant in Lehigh County where President Joe Biden stumped his multi-trillion infrastructure proposal on Wednesday to protest the “wasteful” spending it contains. “When most folks think of AFP and our activists, they think of …
(By Christen Smith | The Center Square) – Scranton Mayor Paige Cognetti said this week Congress should use budget reconciliation to naturalize millions of undocumented immigrants as recognition for their sacrifices during the COVID-19 pandemic. “We already needed to deliver pathways to citizenship as nation, even before the pandemic,” she said during a call with …
(By The Center Square) The share of the Pennsylvania workforce employed by local, state or federal governments was 11.7 percent prior to the coronavirus pandemic, the second lowest percentage among the 50 states, according to a new study from the website 24/7 Wall St. The public-sector workers in Pennsylvania numbered 622,046, based on 2019 data compiled …
(By Christen Smith | The Center Square) – Workers with disabilities in Pennsylvania can now earn up to $61,000 annually before losing access to some of their medical assistance benefits. Act 69 became law on July 1 and nearly doubles the $32,000 income cap for the program in an attempt to address widespread unemployment and underemployment …
(By Christen Smith | The Center Square) – A key panel endorsed Pennsylvania’s entry into a carbon emissions reduction program scheduled for early next year, brushing aside concerns from Republican lawmakers that the move would accomplish little other than hurting the state’s economy. The Environmental Quality Board voted 15-4 on Tuesday to adopt the Department …
(By Christen Smith | The Center Square) – Republican lawmakers said Monday they will crowdsource opinions about how best to redraw Pennsylvania’s congressional district map this fall. House Majority Leader Kerry Benninghoff, R-Bellefonte, told reporters at a news conference in Bucks County that redistricting is “one of the most important processes the legislature will undertake” …
(By Christen Smith | The Center Square) – A Republican senator in Pennsylvania initiated the first steps this week of a forensic election audit, even as the state’s top law enforcement official promised intervention should the effort continue. Sen. Doug Mastriano, R-Gettysburg, said in an editorial Wednesday he’s requested information and materials from three counties needed for …
(By Christen Smith | The Center Square) – A WalletHub analysis ranked Pennsylvania’s electricity prices 14th highest in the nation, even as average consumption falls in the bottom half of states. The rankings considered monthly costs for natural gas, home heating oil, motor fuel oil and electricity for all 50 states and the District of Columbia to …
(By Natalie Kapustik | The Center Square) – State Sen. Joe Pittman has introduced legislation to support the work and practice of physician assistants in Pennsylvania. Senate Bill 397 amends the Osteopathic Medical Practice Act and Senate Bill 398 amends the Medical Practice Act of 1985. He said modernizing these bills will encourage more physician …
(By Christen Smith | The Center Square) – Pennsylvania lawmakers opted for a budget Friday that saves most of the state’s $10 billion in tax surplus and federal stimulus as they brace for an unprecedented fiscal cliff when the good fortune “dries up” come 2024. The $40.8 billion spending plan socks away $2.5 billion in unexpected sales …
(By Christen Smith | The Center Square) – A bill banning vaccine passports cleared the state House of Representatives on Wednesday, even though it faces Gov. Tom Wolf’s promise to veto it once it reaches his desk. Senate Bill 618 prevents public entities from requiring proof of vaccination akin to New York’s Excelsior Pass, a mobile …
